


Undaunted

by IAmStoryteller



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin, Justice League, Robin (Comics), Shazam - Fandom, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: I don't even know anymore, M/M, more billy/dami
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-16 11:26:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7266208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmStoryteller/pseuds/IAmStoryteller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since the Convergence event, Clark, Lois and their young son Jon have been living in secret on Earth-0.  Clark moonlights as a mysterious hero while Lois continues her investigative journalism as Author X.  Jon recently acquired superpowers and learns some truths about his parents.  However, unbeknownst to Clark and Lois, there are other people all from different Earths (which had been destroyed) that have taken refuge on Earth-0.  Most have managed to create normal, safe lives.  </p><p>But there’s another rather unlikely duo who live on Earth-0 who can’t just let things.  Meet Billy Batson and Damian Wayne of a long-dead Earth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

They chose Baltimore for two reasons—cities’ populace were mostly anonymous so long as you stayed out of trouble and the crime rate. Billy Batson was not amused, however, at seven in the morning, just before his shift at YMCA, to receive a call from an unknown number. In fact, no one ever called his cell phone, because there was only one person that had the number.

“William,” said the raspy voice of Damian Wayne, as a greeting.

Billy held his temper and worry in check. “What do you want, Alexander?” William was a common enough name, but Damian had chosen Alexander as his new name for this Earth because Damian was not a common name.

“I need you to pick me up. I’m at the 7th,” said Damian, simply.

Billy sighed. “Please tell me that you didn’t get arrested.”

“Then, I won’t tell you,” said Damian, petulantly. It reminded Billy of the time when Damian was 13 and blew up the microwave and the fire department had to be called. Billy was not happy then.

“For Christ’s sake, _Alexander_ , you’re supposed to be a responsible adult now,” said Billy. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” The 7th was seventeen blocks north from their apartment. Billy no longer used his powers, because his Earth-0 counterpart had not yet received his powers and there was no way that he should bring unwanted attention to that kid yet. Let him be a kid, Billy argued with himself. They arrived some years before Earth-0’s Superman and Justice League were made known to the world. 

Billy was a pretty fast walker. There was no need for a car in the city. He hopped a bus to shorten the trip. He entered the 7th, where he was directed to the holding cell. Damian actually didn’t get arrested, but he did beat the crap out of a guy who was trying to kidnap a little girl. The police had to save face.

“William,” said Damian. Damian grew up from the last time he saw him. Damian had been 16 when Damian left without much a fuss. The 19 year old reminded Billy both of Bruce and Talia. Damian had perfectly caramel colored skin. He had Bruce’s blue eyes and Bruce’s black hair. He was not as tall as Billy or Bruce. Damian was never going to be as built as Bruce. Damian took after Talia in that department. He had the Wayne-Kane handsomeness, though. Billy sighed again. The uniformed officer let Damian out of the cell.

“You are going to give me gray hair early,” responded Billy. “Let’s go.” They exited the police station after Damian received a warning about excessive use of violence on real criminals and leave the catching of criminals to the police. “So, is this your way of asking to come home?”

Damian snorted. “I just needed someone to come pick me up.”

Billy knew that was not the truth, but he dropped it. “I was supposed to go to work but do you want to get breakfast instead. They opened a new diner near the apartment.”

Damian eyed Billy for a moment. He said, softly, “Yeah, that’d be fine.”

Billy smiled. He slung his arm over Damian’s shoulder and gave a brief hug. Damian just scowled. “I missed you too.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first few months on Telos in NYC was trying for Billy—Damian refused to rest or take care of himself properly_ Damian’s 12, Billy’s 17

Most people did not know this about Billy Batson, but he is a focused person. Billy coped with his own emotions and feelings in the only way that he knew—by focusing on helping someone else. Most people also did not know this about Billy Batson, but he keeps his promises. He believed that promises were important and if you _promised_ , you had best keep it. Billy had lived through much adversity in his 17-year-old life. But nothing, absolutely nothing, in his years on the streets of Fawcett nor his time as a superhero, prepared him for this situation.

Still, Billy promised someone he admired and respected that he would look after his son. Billy _promised_. And no matter how difficult it was, Billy intended to keep the promise.

Hence the reason why he was wandering the streets of a lightless and dangerous New York City, filled with people who chose to abandon the people that chose to stay on their doomed world. Billy carried his backpack close to his chest, as he scoured the rooftops for a familiar red, green and black figure.

Robin was his charge--his twelve year old, temperamental, arrogant, self-loathing charge who was raised as an assassin and refused to let Billy know where he was going or even take care of himself properly. Billy hadn’t seen Robin in three days. Even when Robin showed up at the old Teen Titans’ East HQ where the two of them lived, Robin never lingered long before leaving again. Billy needed to help Robin process everything that had happened.

They were all each other had because they were not here by choice.

Billy knew about Bruce and Dick’s decision to trick Damian into the city just before Brainiac stole the city and destroyed their world. Without Superman, Brainiac just got the better of the entirety of the superhero community, Billy reminded himself. 

Unfortunately, Billy had planned for Mary and the rest of his friends to go, but his sister, his fucking amazing twin sister who was always the better of the two and no one will ever tell him otherwise, shoved him last minute with the help of Freddy, Darla, Eugene, Pedro and Courtney into the city as Brainiac’s barrier appeared. They had decided, without telling him, that he was the best person to help Robin. 

Bruce made Billy promise.

Bruce was someone that knew Billy well.

“Promise me, Billy, promise me you’ll look after Damian for me,” said Bruce, Batman.

Billy promised.

Prior to landing into this unfortunate situation, Billy hadn’t much interaction with the youngest Robin. Billy looked up to Dick and Jason, but Tim was his friend. Tim did not have a favorable opinion of the former assassin, but Billy knew that Tim was just jealous that Dick had a new little brother to spoil. Billy was a little busy with his city, his family, the Justice League and school to think about the youngest Robin.

Eventually, he found Damian at the MET building, beating up some looters (some people were just assholes, honestly). Billy paid no mind to it and climbed the stairs.

“Robin,” said Billy, announcing himself, as a body came tumbling towards him. Billy side-stepped out of the way. He had no access to his powers here in this domed city but he was well-trained outside of his powers. He had some very adamant teachers (namely Diana and Dinah). “You need to come home and get some sleep. I brought you some food.” Damian always insisted to be called Robin when he was in the suit, which never stopped being slightly annoying to Billy but he did not want to distance the 12-year-old vigilante further away from him by angering him.

Robin paused mid-punch to stare at Billy. “Batson, I told you I do not need a damn babysitter. I can take care of myself.”

Billy snorted. “Oh really?”

Billy knew that Damian had a death wish. The magical champion had the same idea but he had his focus and his focus was on his promise. Damian obviously lost some weight—meaning that he hadn’t been eating. Even with the domino mask, Billy could tell the former assassin was dead tired. There were unchecked cuts and bruises, where the Shazam hero could see skin. Billy sighed as Damian dropped the guy he had in a hold.

“Do not test me, Batson,” snarled the twelve year old, who was far scarier than you would think. Billy took out a container from his bag. He shoved the container into Robin’s hands.

Another thing people did not realize about Billy Batson was that he had a terrible temper when provoked enough. “I am not trying to baby you or make you mad. We are going to need each other when Brainiac’s freaking plan eventually comes to fruition. I promised your father that I would look after you. I do not want you to kill yourself by not eating or sleeping or constantly fighting. Do you think that anyone that cared about you would want that,” snapped Billy, tired of dealing with Robin’s attitude. “Do you think I want to be here? It should have been my sister, the person that was the other half of my soul, not me here. I know exactly how you feel and I hate feeling this way just as much as you. Eat the freaking food, at least. Come to the tower at least two hours a day. You don’t even have to tell me, just leave a note or something.”

Billy walked away. He hated losing his temper and felt bad for taking it out on Damian, who was dealing with things badly.

Suddenly, Robin was walking by him. Without looking at Billy, Damian said, “Honestly, Batson, just say that you need me.”

Billy stared at the young boy in shock. Billy, then, grinned. “Right, right, what was I thinking?” There was no response. Damian was eating out of the container the rice and chicken Billy had managed to make without burning it. Since at the moment Billy towered over the twelve year old, he could tell that Damian’s ears were flaring red, in embarrassment. “So, anything important going on in this retched city that I should know?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian realizes that he’s in love_ Damian’s 16-18 and Billy’s 21-23

Damian knew that something was wrong with him. It started soon after his sixteenth birthday. He was another year older and another year far away from the time spent with his father and family. He and Billy both dealt with their situation in different ways. Billy went out of his way to help others, including and most importantly Damian. Damian still dressed as a vigilante and fought crime at night. He didn’t given himself a moniker because he needed no unwanted attention from the Boy Scout in Metropolis or this Earth’s Batman in Gotham.

The problem was not apparent at first. Damian thought it was just typical teenage hormones that he had been warned about by various family members and Billy, himself. So what if Billy’s smiles sent his stomach into a tailspin or his heart into cardiac arrest? So what if Damian looked forward to Billy’s required pizza movie Friday nights, if only to sit next to former World’s Mightiest Mortal? 

Damian figured that some sort of attraction towards Billy would happen eventually since Damian only cared about and spent time with Billy. Billy was a very good looking man, after all. It was inevitable.

He dealt with the discomfort of his attraction to the other man in the quiet space in his mind. 

Then, Damian understood that it was getting out of control soon after his realization. Billy started to be always on his mind. If Billy was tired from working fifteen hours a day and if Billy was sleeping okay because there were rings under his eyes. Damian found himself unconsciously doing things to help Billy—made him lunch when the older man woke up late or made dinner for when Billy only had fifteen minutes to get to his next job.

Billy was supporting both of them on a full-time job and a part-time job (his only day off was Friday). Damian could not really work and make any kind of real money even at his age. So while Billy was working his ass off to pay all the bills, Damian was at school. Billy basically forced Damian into school—it was something that Billy thought was important to Damian’s growth as a person. Public school was not so bad and Damian mostly kept to himself. His grades were perfect, he almost finished the requirements for graduating early, and there were plenty of colleges looking to nab up Alexander Wright as a student. 

It was Friday afternoon and the two were at the local grocery picking up ingredients for their home-made pizza. They were arguing about name-brand cheese verses store-brand cheese when a woman around Billy’s age came up and greeted Billy.

“Oh, hello,” said Billy, politely. Damian watched the woman’s eyes basically undress Billy in public. Honestly. Some people have no sense. “You’re Sandra from, uh, where again? Sorry, I’m bad at names.”

Billy wasn’t bad at remembering names or faces. He was a fucking superhero; his life depended on his observation and memory skills.

“The YMCA. You taught my son how to swim,” said the woman. As Billy was preoccupied, Damian threw the store-bought cheese into the cart and took out the name-brand that Billy had put in there. “Oh, is this your little brother?” Damian’s eyes narrowed. Just because they both had black hair and blue eyes didn’t mean they were related. Damian looked like his mother with some of his father’s features. Billy looked like his father with some of his mother’s features. 

Billy smiled, tensely. “Uh, no. He’s my best friend, who stays with me while his parents are on their third honeymoon. Long story. Anyway, we have got to go. Bye.” (It’s the story that they went with for this world, because nothing else worked). Billy grabbed Damian’s arm and dragged him away.

“See you,” called the woman, after them. Damian eyed Billy. That woman liked Batson, obviously. She had good taste, but she was a poor judge of timing.

After that, Damian began to notice the way other people looked at or acted around Billy. It was not like home where Billy was a well-respected blogger and superhero. Billy always never had time for dating, from what Damian understood about the other man’s life. He knew that Billy was very close with Mary, his twin sister, and the rest of his self-adopted family. Billy had dating Stargirl for a bit, though and some other girls, but nothing ever lasted.

Here, Billy was just an above average good-looking man and a kind-hearted soul at that. But he was an enigma to others, because he barely talked about himself. (Once you got him blubbering about Mary or Darla or Freddy or anyone from home, it was hard to take him seriously, Damian knew). But Billy had a right chance at an actual happily ever after with someone.

They had this whole world, this whole world and maybe, Damian was an unnecessary burden to the former Shazam hero. He knew that Billy’s sense of honor and responsibility towards his promise to Batman would never let Billy let Damian go. 

So Damian had to make Billy let go.

In all honesty, Damian thought Billy was going to put up more of a fight. But Billy merely sighed and asked Damian where he was going to live and do with his life. Damian was going to dorm at John Hopkins, as a pre-med student and work at the museum there, all on scholarship. Billy just agreed that if it was what Damian wanted to do than it was fine with him.

Billy didn’t even make him promise to visit and that hurt Damian more than he wanted to admit.

Life separately from Billy was hard at first, Damian found out. Well, no, it was not hard, it was actually easy. He knew how to take care of himself—he had the best teachers in the world. But he was awfully lonely. There were people that wanted to be his friends and that liked him well enough but they didn’t know the real Damian.

Billy was the only one that did.

He threw himself into his studies and to his crime-fighting, in his spare time. Damian was dealing. Baltimore was a big city and therefore, Damian easily avoided any place that he knew Billy would be. Damian even tried dating. But it wasn’t for him. It just wasn’t right.

Sometime after his eighteenth birthday, after two years of avoiding Billy, Damian was walking to a local art museum when he saw Billy for the first time in a long time. It would not be right not to admit that he didn’t occasionally stop at the apartment during patrols to look in on Billy to make sure that he has enough food and was okay (all without him knowing). Billy gotten taller; and even more gorgeous than he was before.

Damian, however, saw red when a woman came running up to him and hugged him tightly. And he hugged her back, picked her up off the ground and twirled her a little bit, making a scene. Damian felt the same gnawing insecurity as he did when he saw Dick and Tim together when he was still Dick’s Robin.

The darkest part of Damian’s mind hissed and growled and banged in his skull _‘that bitch is in my spot’_ but immediately felt regretful that he thought that about a person that he didn’t know and how he knew so many curse words. (His oft-missing brother Jason was the cause…). And also what right did Damian have to feel jealous when he basically abandoned the only person that he had left in the freaking multiverse? None. 

Billy took care of him, all because he promised. Billy dealt with Damian’s anger, sadness, and moodiness in stride. And what had Damian done for him? Been a burden. Been mean. Lash out at him. Complained often of the hugs that Billy liked to give him. Made Billy unnecessarily worry because he was just that nice of a guy to actually care if Damian lived or died. Damian was a bad best friend.

A bad whatever Damian wanted them to be now.

Damian abandoned the idea of any trips and went back to his dorm-room. His roommate was thankfully not there and that left Damian time to think about things.

He was in love with Billy Batson.

And that scared the shit out of him.

Because wasn’t it wrong? Billy basically finished raising him, didn’t he? Billy was five years older than him. Damian didn’t deserve Billy. 

But he could. He could be better than he was. Damian could go back. Tell Billy he missed him. 

Damian wanted to go home, because home was not with a long dead Earth in another universe. Home was with Billy. Home was safe and content.

Home was with the person he loved most.


End file.
